Progressive taxi: what to say when you are lost on the taxiways
Getting turned around on the ground at a big unfamiliar airport is normal and nothing to be embarrassed about. There is a standard call for exactly this, and using it is the professional move.
What progressive taxi is
Instead of a full route you have to follow on your own, ATC gives you turn-by-turn instructions one step at a time. You ask for it whenever you do not know the airport well enough to follow a route yourself.
How to ask for it
Keep it simple and honest: “Ground, Cessna One Two Three Four Five, request progressive taxi to the general aviation ramp.” You do not need a reason — controllers hear it constantly.
What you get back
One instruction at a time: “turn left on Bravo, hold short of runway two five.” You read it back, taxi it, and they give you the next step when you get there.
Read back every step
Treat each instruction like any taxi clearance — read back the route and any hold-short verbatim, including the runway number. The hold-short is the one you can never drop.
If you are already moving and lost
Stop. Hold position, then say “Ground, One Two Three Four Five, I am disoriented, request progressive taxi.” Stopping on a taxiway is always safe; guessing at a turn is not.
Why it is not embarrassing
A controller would far rather give you progressive taxi than have you wander onto a runway you were not cleared to cross. Asking is what a careful pilot does.
Drill it before you need it
Ground and taxi calls are the most-failed and the most drillable. Practice graded taxi and hold-short read-backs on Clearspar — free, no mic.
Practice these calls with instant grading — free.
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